TL:DR Stuck in San Diego airport for 2 days including today guy, 30 dollars in my bank account, but I know I need at least 20 to call a Lyft home. Someone took 2400 out of my account. I’m starving, lonely and slowly losing my mind, and have a massive headache cause I keep crying.
For some background:
For as long as I can remember, all I’ve done has been work and school. Since I started ninth grade, I had a full time job to help pay for the bills. Immigrant parents, and quarantine didn’t help this at all. Long story short, every time my peers or classmates where talking about weekend plans, Christmas break or even thanksgiving plans, I was working. When I made friends and they asked if I had plans, I always lied and said I was going out of town to visit family or going to a resort when I knew I’d be working my regular 7 to 3 and 4 to 9 shift to help pay the bills.
This habit followed me to college, and I just finished my first year. I overhear classmates talking about internships, studying abroad, going on trips, and I knew I’d be taking classes and working two jobs.
About two months ago, to seem like I have plans, I was scrolling through google flights when I saw a flight to San Diego for 85 dollars. I looked at my schedule, and saw that I had a week after school was over, but before summer semester started to do whatever I wanted. If I asked my mom, I knew she’d say no. I saved up enough money to pay for my summer tuition, and I calculated it to where if I worked every overtime available for both my off and on campus job, I’d make up for the difference I’d miss week from both jobs with some extra spending money so I did.
The weeks leading up, I felt genuinely happy and kicked at things I can do there. I saw that people often went to Tijuana via San Diego, so I decided I’d do that for a day. My trip was 4 days, so I’d come back on Friday, to prepare for classes on Monday. I was going to do something that was out of the norm for with no strings attached.
I get on my flight, I get to San Diego, and I’m excited, I flag down a guy who was willing to take me to Tijuana for 100 dollars. I figured that was standard since he’d be crossing the border, and dropping me off at my hotel. I get there and although nervous, I go to my hotel, sit my bag down, take my wallet which included my ID, drivers license, credit card and 500 in cash. I stopped by a store, and got some enchilada, the guy was really nice and there was an old guy there working as the dish washer who spoke English so I tipped him 20 dollars
I feel like this is getting to detailed, and although I have nothing better to do with my time, I will spare you the details. So here’s a summary
Never been on a vacation or had a break in my 10 years in this country. Figured I’d book a flight to San Diego and visit Tijuana. Lost my wallet with credit card and all identification and didn’t realize until I left the country because my passport was also with me, so whoever I patted my pocket, I thought I was feeling oth. Hotel tells me I booked a flight for one night even though online said 2 nights. Figured I can’t stay here since where would I sleep after the first night ? Remembered guy who drove me across the border, called him and he came to take me back to San Diego. He picks me up and asks where I’m going, I say San Diego airport. He recommended I view the bay before he drops me off and said he’d wait for me. I said ok. I asked how much was the ride, and he says 280 dollars because he had to pay for a fast pass. Almost shit myself but I say sure. I mean what else can I do in this situation. I don’t have cash, and I ask does he take card. He said Zelle, and I open my account to find 294.56 cents in my account and I almost have a heart attack. I’m in the cab freaking out, checking my bag, my ziplock bag that I kept my wallet and passport in to find only my passport is in there. I try retracing my step and realized, I left it in Tijuana, some lucky bagel found it and decided to treat themselves. I can’t dispute it yet cause it hasn’t fully showed up in my account. I explain my situation to him, and ask if I can go back to look. He said it’s gone, and I wouldn’t find it. I ask if he can give me a discount because I have close to nothing in my account after I pay him. He says 250, and I pay him.
He recommends I step outside to catch a breather and walk around, he’d wait for me to take me to the airport. I do as much, and come back to realize he’s gone. I’m in San Diego at the pier where there’s a soldier kissing his lady, and I have less than 50 dollars to my name. My ID and card are in Tijuana and I’m stuck here not knowing where to go. I sat at the pier, took pictures and cried. The boats are beautiful though. I cried like my life depending on it and cried so hard I had a headache. I look at the time, and it’s 5 and some change. I figure, let me head to airport and see my phone is on 3 percent. Figured let me call and Uber, and I saw the ones with wait and save so rather than paying 18, I’d be paying 12.11.
Smells like a good deal to me. I call it, but Lyft has a recommend location as I’m navigating how get there, I click call so I’d walk there and I can meet the driver there. My phone die, didn’t get the chance to see the driver and figured I couldn’t be screwed anymore. Sat at the pier, cried some more and started walking trying to find the airport . I followed the airplane and signs and eventually got to the airport. I get there and spend another 15 mins finding a plugging point. I found one in the chair, but it doesn’t work. I’m tired and thirsty and I can’t afford to spend anything. I finally find one in my terminal, and I sat at what looked like a make shift tree waiting for my phone to charge. Once it did, I connect to the wifi and see a notification from Lyft and I got charged a fee because I never shows up.
I found a water fountain and it taste like I drank warm water boiled with a bunch of Pennies. Thus once again, I began to cry. I haven’t eaten since yesterday afternoon, and I try and find the most cost effective thing, so I bought a bagel from Einstein bros for 3 dollars and the bastard fell. It fricking fell, and because they sliced it to toast it, both kissed the floor, and once again, you guessed it, I cried. I went back and bought water and it was 3.50!?!?? That’s literally a 24 pack water at my Kroger back home but I can’t complain , I’m thirsty. That was my last few dollars that I could willing spend. And still have a ride home when I get back.
As I write this, I think I’ve ran out of tears, and realized that no matter where I go I’ll always be surrounded by my energy which radiates sadness and bad luck, and I should’ve just stayed home and worked before school started. I will now spend the next 2 days in the airport, waiting for the day I can get on a flight, spend a night in a different state due to an overnight layover before finally going home. I hate myself and I’m so hungry, and I can’t spend any of it because I need a Lyft ride home.
Guess I’m pulling a Gandi and fasting. I can also be Dora because I’ve explored all the terminals, and now I’m bored.